A Sliver of Change | S. Black

Part 3: Chapter 2

Part 3:

Chapter 2 –

June 25th, 1996

Lia sighed out a breath and went to open her mouth to explain what had happened to Remus, but a slamming of a door caught their attention and the breath she released before got caught in her throat.

He was as stunning as he had always been fifteen years ago, and she was able to recognize the differences better now than she was while fighting at the Ministry. His tattoos still stood out but were quite faded as his shirt revealed the script of her name on his chest. She noted that his face did look older, but it was the tired lines that peaked out to her, exhaustion from whatever she had missed while gone showing clearly on his face.

She tried her hardest to give him a watery smile, but she broke down once again as he marched to her, his determined eyes never leaving her figure. She felt slightly bad for the way he shoved Remus out of the way but melted into him immediately when he slammed his lips against her chapped ones.

Her body lit on fire as it recognized the feel of him against her and she didn't hesitate in bringing her hands up to his silky hair, crying out in relief at being able to touch him once again. Even with her memory gone, she had never truly forgotten him, the hole in her heart filling as his lips moved softly against her own, pouring every ounce of love she had ever felt into it.

A whine escaped her lips as he pulled back slowly, never wanting to let go of him again but knowing that now wasn't the time for any type of physical reunion. She didn't let him get far, pulling him close by his hair to lean her forehead against his own and breathing in his scent deeply, the feeling of being home washing over her.

"How is this possible?" Sirius huskily whispered, the pain in his eyes intensifying as they bore into hers, "how are you alive?"

Lia gently placed her hand over the one he had on her cheek and took a moment to just breath in the same air as him and relish in the fact that he was here with her, right now. She didn't know if she would have survived remembering everything if he had been killed in the war. The realization of everything else broke her to the bone, but the small shred of relief she had that Sirius and Remus were okay was the only thing holding her together.

She took that moment to truly cherish the comfort he gave her and couldn't imagine how he must have felt thinking that their last conversation had been an argument before she died. She knew that she would never forgive herself if the roles were reversed and she wished once again that James hadn't done what he did.

"Sirius," she breathed out, "blimey have I missed you."

She pulled back after the words and looked at the two boys who stared at her as if she was a ghost. Rolling her shoulders back, she knew that it was time for them all to exchange what had happened and get to the bottom of things, not matter how badly she wanted to just sit here and stare at them all day.

"Lia," Remus whispered, "what happened?"

Tears welled in her eyes as she grabbed a hold of each of their hands, moving over to make space for Sirius who had sat down on her bed while Remus took the seat beside it. She wished that Sirius would cuddle closer to her, but she was slightly glad when he only took the edge, wanting to see his reaction when she finally revealed the truth to them.

"James," she mumbled back, her eyes closing as she recalled exactly what had happened, "James sent me away."

She opened her eyes to see the two boys' glance at each other confusedly, their heads shaking as they silently communicated. She knew that they would never come to the conclusion about what happened to her, so she sat up straighter as she released a tired breath.